Escaping The Shadows Anthology: Shenanigans'19 @ The West Midlands Book Signing.

by Maria Lazarou

  Escaping The Shadows Anthology

  Sienna Grant, Manda Mellett, Jennah Thornhill, Paula Acton, Toni Bolton, Martin Tracey, TA Andrews

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2019 Sienna Grant, Manda Mellett, Jennah Thornhill, Paula Acton, Toni Bolton, Martin Tracey, TA Andrews.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction.

  Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Disclaimer: This book contains mature content not suitable for those under the age of 18. It involves domestic violence, strong language, and sexual situations.

  Cover Design: Maria Lazarou ~ Obsessed by Books Designs

  Editor; Maria Lazarou ~ Obsessed by Books Designs

  Kate Clark & Claire Ledger-Shaw

  Formatter: Maria Lazarou ~ Obsessed by Books Designs

  Blurb

  A collection of hard-hitting stories from some of the most talented of today’s authors, written for the

  Shenanigans @ The West Midlands Book Signing.

  Short stories that show the side of men which is all too often hidden.

  Based on subjects that include Survival, Depression,

  Suicide, Loss and Overcoming fear.

  Delve into a world that will open your eyes to the

  unspoken and forbidden lives of men.

  All proceeds will go to Calm. The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is an award-winning charity

  dedicated to preventing male suicide, the single

  biggest killer of men under the age of forty-five in the UK.

  Surprisingly on average, in 2015 76% of all UK suicides were male - let's work together to change this.

  https://www.thecalmzone.net/

  ***Disclaimer- Some of the content in this book can cause triggers for some. Also, contains profanity, erotic scenes and only suitable for readers 18+***

  Moral Compass

  By

  Martin Tracey

  Blurb

  The four corners of Birmingham are being run by gangsters.

  So, who would be brave enough, or stupid enough, to pick them off one by one?

  DCI Judd Stone aims to find out. Just like the gangsters,

  Judd lives in a world where bravado is king. Inner demons must never be allowed to surface and all too often this can end badly.

  Judd has a habit of being a survivor but this time is there simply too much danger for him to survive?

  Chapter One

  “Fucking hell, what a way to die,” said DCI Judd Stone as he entered the crime scene.

  “It’s got to be the worst,” answered Detective Sergeant Sabita Mistry.

  “Worse than drowning?”

  “That’s a tough one. How about being buried alive?”

  “Oh fuck, being buried alive. Yeah, that’s got to be the worst,” Judd exaggerated a shiver as he spoke. “However, being set on fire while you’re not yet dead is still a pretty rough way to go, even when it happens to a low-life like Joey Logan.”

  “Joey Logan? How do you know the identity of that charred body? I mean just look at the state of it,” asked Sab.

  “See that woman sitting over there?”

  “The one clutching a handkerchief, wrapped in the shiny blanket being comforted by the paramedics.”

  “The very same. They’ve wrapped her in that tin foil blanket thing because she’s in total shock. However, she was able to tell us that just before this piece of shit croaked, while he was all lit up like Guy Fawkes on Bonfire night, he was shouting the words, ‘Don’t they know who they are fucking dealing with? I’m Joey Fucking Logan.”

  “Isn’t Joey Logan one of Birmingham’s most notorious gangsters?” Enquired Sab.

  “He was. He ran the west side of the city.”

  “Blimey, someone was brave to set him on fire.”

  “Or stupid. Thing is he was pretty stupid too because he didn’t bother to shout out who had set him on fire with his dying breaths. He was always a narcissistic prick.”

  “Assuming he knew who had set him on fire.”

  “Someone like Joey Logan made many enemies that’s for sure, but there were very few who would have dared to carry out this type of act. I’m convinced he must have known who did this to him. Anyway, now I’ve got to head up an investigation to find out who actually did us all a favour and got rid of this nasty piece of scum off the streets of west Birmingham.”

  “Like you say, a man like that can’t be short of enemies. Another gangster perhaps?”

  “It’s possible but Logan, as far as I know, kept to his side of the deal.”

  “Deal?”

  “There are four families that run the four points of the city. Have done for generations. The Pentelow’s run the North, the McDaid’s the South, the Glazier’s the East, and the Logan’s the West. Once upon a time, the four families used to engage in very vicious warfare indeed, but they made a pact long ago not piss in one another’s territory. So, unless our overcooked friend here has broken the rules this is going to be one hell of a mystery to solve.”

  Chapter Two

  The disused warehouse in Digbeth was an ideal meeting place for the four sets of Gangsters. Standing in their zones, facing one another, a bird’s eye view would have given the impression of a St George cross less a small gap in the middle where the dialogue was to take place. It was Zayn Glazier who stepped forward first.

  “So, which one of you pair did it? Who broke the decades old code of conduct between us?”

  “You dishonour my family even daring to ask that question, Glazier,” snarled Zack Pentelow.

  “Mine too,” echoed Seb McDaid.

  “How do we know it wasn’t the Glazier’s that broke the code?” asked Zack.

  “As you have clearly forgotten who you are addressing Mr Pentelow, perhaps that makes you the prime suspect. You’re way out of line.”

  Zack Pentelow looked unperturbed as Zayn Glazier spoke.

  “The Glazier’s have always dutifully respected the contract which our fathers signed. The wars between the families were to stop as long as the Pentelow’s stayed in the North, the McDaid’s stayed South, we stayed East and the Logan’s controlled the West. We as the eldest sons continued that code of conduct but it appears one of us has broken it and left Joey’s younger brother, Robin over there, the difficult task of stepping into his big brother’s shoes.”

  Zack turned his attention to Robin Logan.

  “Robin, you have my word that the Pentelow’s had no part to play in the death of your brother. I am truly sorry for your loss. The Pentelow’s have too always respected the pact that our fathers signed up to.”

  Robin Logan silently nodded, acknowledging what Zack Pentelow was saying and actually finding it difficult to disbelieve him. Robin knew of Zack’s reputation of course, he could be as vicious as any gangster could be, but he also knew that Joey had once described him as one of the
most honourable men whom he could never be friends with.

  “The McDaid’s would also never compromise the agreement which our fathers made, Robin,” offered Seb McDaid. “As you know part of that agreement was to actually send members of each and every one of our outfits over to New York to augment each of our empires. As far as I’m aware that mutual, shall we say, business enterprise has always flourished across the pond with each family reaping the profits equally. It was in no one’s interests to kill your brother at this time, Robin.”

  Robin then spoke. “The fact remains someone tracked down my brother and had the audacity to set him on fire while he was still alive. If it wasn’t one of the other families then who would be so foolish enough to do such a thing? I tell you now I will avenge my brother’s death and rain down a flood of wrath on whoever is responsible for this.”

  Zayn spoke next. “Robin, I declare that if any of the families here are truly innocent of your brother’s killing then they join me in a new pact: to stand beside the Logan family to avenge your brother’s death. The Pentelow’s stand with you.”

  “As do the McDaid’s,” declared Seb McDaid.”

  Zack looked over to Zayn Glazier. “Well, Zayn? There’s an old saying you know that goes along the lines of ‘methinks thou dost protest too much’. Do you want to stand with us or is it, in fact, the Glazier family who have something to hide?”

  Zayn Glazier didn’t hesitate with his response. “The Glaziers will stand in unison with the families of this city. We will avenge the death of Joey Logan.”

  Chapter Three

  Zayn Glazier had been found floating face down in the canal basin of Brindley Place.

  “Do I really need you to tell me the cause of death?” Judd asked the forensic pathologist.

  “There are obvious signs of a struggle but nothing to suggest that the blows received to the body and head were enough to kill this man. Give me an hour or two but it’s almost certainly going to be death by drowning. His hands and legs were tied so he would have found it impossible to swim free.”

  Judd turned his attention to Sab. “What’s going on here Sab? A second Birmingham gangster has wound up dead and he has suffered his death through another unenviable way to leave his mortal coil.”

  “Death by drowning. It doesn’t bear thinking about. Well with two deaths in the bag do we now have a serial killer on our hands? Another Crucifier perhaps?”

  Judd had already successfully put one serial killer behind bars who had targeted the people of Birmingham. The killer had been labelled the Crucifier due to the way he had positioned his victims in the style of a crucifixion, however, the Crucifier’s victims had been high-end female escorts and not notorious male gangsters.

  “It’s possible unless it is simply gang warfare taking revenge on one another. But why now? What would have caused the truce between the four families to have been broken? And if it’s not the gangs who are feuding who would be so damn stupid to get in-between the vicious gangster families of Birmingham?”

  Chapter Four

  Zack Pentelow and Seb McDaid eyeballed one another.

  “Why are you doing it Seb?”

  “Doing what?”

  “Killing the heads of the families. Am I next then?”

  “If you persist in accusing me of something, I haven’t done you won’t be next, but you will be the first. I did not kill Joey or Zayn and I did not have them killed either.”

  Zack paused for a moment looking straight into the eyes of his nemesis. “Ok, I believe you.”

  “And I take it you’re not responsible either Mr Pentelow?” Zack simply shook his head.

  “Well you know what this means?” said Seb.

  “Someone is planning for me or you to be killed next.”

  “Correct and it doesn’t really matter if it is me or you next because they don’t want to stop until all four of us are gone. It’s just a matter of time in their head.”

  “But who could it be? It wouldn’t have been easy to get close to either Logan or Glazier.”

  “It’s got to be one crazy son-of-a-bitch to even try but as he is succeeding, he obviously knows what he is doing.”

  Both men looked at one another for a short moment then in perfect synchronisation pulled a gun on one another. The cronies flanking them followed suit and a stand-off ensued.

  “It’s got to be you Pentelow. No one else is that brave or stupid to be doing this.”

  “Good poker face, McDaid but I know it’s you. It has to be.”

  Just then a car pulled up in the vicinity and its driver shone the headlights directly on the two sets of gangsters.

  The gangsters instantly pointed their shooters at the silhouetted image as it climbed out of the car and approached them.

  “Put your guns away boys. Don’t you think there have been enough deaths around here? I’m DCI Judd Stone, here’s my badge.”

  “Are you on some kind of death-wish, pig?”

  “I just want to talk to you about the deaths of your two arch-rivals.”

  “We don’t know anything,” said Zack.

  “I really wish you’d lower that gun,” said Stone.

  “I’ll lower it when I feel like it.”

  “Very noble, keeping the honour amongst ‘tits’ thing going on. You both think the other is responsible but of course, you aren't gonna grass one another up to a copper like me, are you?”

  “This isn’t your business, pig. Turn around and drive out of here while you still can.”

  “That sounds like a threat Mr Pentelow. It’s a very serious matter threatening an officer of the law you know. However, I’m prepared to overlook it just this once as I’m actually here to enlighten you both and stop you pointing the finger or gun at one another. Gentlemen, I know your style. When you have people killed you make it a very private affair. Bodies are seldom found where you are concerned because you don’t want them to be. Let me guess: hotel foundations, buried at sea, am I close?”

  “What’s your game Stone?” demanded Seb McDaid.

  “The bodies of Joey Logan and Zayn Glazier were not concealed because their killer intended them to be found. Therefore, for what it’s worth I don’t think either of you did it. Someone is making a clear statement to tell you that they can piss in your pool and they’ve got big enough balls to do it.”

  “Is it you, targeting us?” enquired Zack Pentelow. “Are you some sort of vigilante cop, picking us off one-by-one because you know that the conventional avenues of the law never quite manage to get us? You said yourself we can find certain methods of dodging murder trials for instance.”

  “Don’t flatter yourselves. I’ve got better things to do than get caught up in a crusade against scumbags like you.”

  Seb McDaid cocked his gun barrel in protest to the insult. “You watch your fucking mouth, pig.”

  “No offence meant, Mr McDaid. Unfortunately, though I am duty bound to try and locate the serial killer who is targeting the gangsters of Birmingham, even if he is perhaps doing us all a favour.”

  “You’re on your last warning,” said McDaid.

  Alternatively, Zack lowered his gun. “Come on Seb, I’m sure DCI Stone only wants to help. I mean why else would he be here? Lower your gun, my friend.”

  Seb slowly complied with the request.

  “There, that’s better,” said Stone.

  “However, I have just one nagging question on my mind. Have you killed one each and now you’re here to compare notes or something?”

  “Don’t make me raise my gun again,” said McDaid.

  “Ok, ok I just had to check. Well, in that case, you tough-guy gangsters are doing a piss-poor job of halting this psycho, aren’t you? You’re going to end up just like Joey and Zayn if you’re not careful. So, for once I suggest that you two are going to have to put some faith in the police force of this city in order to stop this killer.”

  “We don’t need you and your police f
riends DCI Stone. If this cheeky fucker comes anywhere near the McDaid's or the Pentelow's we are going to be ready for him and we will slowly torture the fucking arse off him before we finally decide to end his miserable life.”

  “Really, Seb? Just like Joey and Zayn were ready for him?”

  Seb grunted.

  “Ok Stone. Mr McDaid and I welcome your involvement to catch this man. But be warned, if Seb or I get to him first, the gory details that Seb hinted at will surely transpire and as you will have failed where we will have succeeded, I do not expect you to come for us.”

  “You have my word. Whoever this is has earned the right to be on the receiving end of any poetic justice that you feel that you need to implement.”

  “I’m glad that you understand that we keep the order on the streets of Birmingham,” said McDaid.

  “We will have to agree to disagree. Mr McDaid. That job is for the police, and I will prove it. I will catch this killer first. Good night, gentlemen.”

  As Judd Stone drove away in his car the two gangsters spoke in unison.

  “That’s one brave fucking cop.”

  Chapter Five

  “Put your badge away you fool, like I don’t know who you are.”

  “I need to ask you a few questions,” said Judd complying with the request to put away his Police ID.

  “So, you’re here on official business?”

  Judd simply nodded before speaking. “Why did you do it Gia?”

  “Do what?”

  “Come on, I’m not stupid. You’re Top Dog in this city of ours, Gia. I know how it works. The Talia's run the city centre and you allow the other four families to manage the other quarters of the city just as long as they don’t step over any boundaries and they ensure that they keep you sweet. So, tell me. What has gone wrong in this little arrangement? Why the need to start killing them?”